Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.
Seneca
Guess what, guys. Potty training success is not about luck. Potty training success is all about being prepared.
You know that! That’s why you read my guide to potty training methods, and came up with a game plan.
It’s why you’ve warned your toddler that THE potty training day is coming, and you’ve cleared your calendar for a potty training vacation.
Dang, girl. You are prepared!
But are you?
Do you have everything you need for potty training?
In this post I’ll go through 10 absolute must-haves to rock potty training! Some of these items may surprise you, but you’ll be glad you stocked up when the time comes.
Looking for more ways to get ready for potty training? Find out 17 ways to prep your tot for the pot and when to start potty training and when to wait.
Basic Potty Training Gear
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You really don’t need a lot for toilet training. Here’s a quick list of things that are essential to potty train a toddler.
1. Potty Chair
Some kids like using a tot-sized potty chair. They don’t need one with lots of bells and whistles. Just something that they can sit on comfortably, and that can be emptied and cleaned easily, without much mess. Some potty chairs have disposable liners to make it easy for you to toss the number 2’s instead of trying to clean that out. *shudder*
I like this BabyBjorn potty chair because it’s easy to clean (the white part comes off to dump the contents in the toilet and get cleaned off in the tub or sink and you can pick it up by the handle under the splash guard), it has a non-skid, rubber base, and because of the high back, babies can use it pretty comfortably too.
Check it out if you’ve decided to go with the potty chair for your training method. The other option is a potty seat.
2. potty Training seat Or convertible toilet seat
We used a potty seat that was placed on top of our normal toilet for a while. The problem was that our very short toddler had a hard time climbing onto it without help.
We soon switched to this incredible toilet seat that includes a kid-sized seat that flips up to reveal a grown-up sized seat. The kid-sized seat can be removed once your toddler is big enough not to fall into the toilet when using a grown-up sized seat.
It does cost more than a potty chair, but hear me out before you run away! This potty training toilet seat is the best:
- it cleans easily,
- it’s soft close,
- it won’t wiggle,
- it’s comfortable for little bottoms, and
- it’s not clunky or brightly colored.
Trust me, this is a space saver and a time saver.
We trained our toddler to go in a regular toilet because it’s just so much more sanitary and saves that extra step of having to clean out a potty chair and re-train to use a regular toilet.
Our two-year-old was so much more comfortable using the toilet by herself when we switched out the old potty training seat for this sleek 2-in-1 toilet seat. She felt much more secure and “grown-up” with this seat.
Oh, and did I mention that this potty training toilet seat has a timed night light? It’s pretty awesome.
3. Kids’ stool
If you don’t already have a stool for the bathroom, now’s the time to get one.
Your tiny tot will need a stool to be able to climb onto the toilet without falling in and to be able to reach the sink to wash her little hands.
I highly recommend a two-step stool. My toddler is a reluctant climber. If a stool is too tall, she’s not getting on it. The two steps helped her be able to get up higher than just a tall, regular stool.
We tried a wood stool at first, and while I liked the heavy weight and sturdiness of it, it was a little too skiddy for me. This one is non-skid and non-slip at the top, plus it has nice holes on the sides for little ones to grip and carry to where they need it.
Of course, that could be seen as a con too, as kids might just end up carrying the stool around to be able to reach all the places you don’t want them to go…
4. Training pants
These are a little like cloth diapers, but can include a waterproof barrier to hold the liquid in and prevent it from getting all over your child’s bed or pants.
Pull-ups can hamper daytime potty training success because they feel too much like a diaper. Training pants are great because they’ll absorb leaks while still giving that peed-in-your-pants feeling that diapers and pull-ups simply aren’t designed to do.
They are NOT a replacement for diapers, if your kiddo still needs them at night or for naps. However, they can be a good tool to transition to underwear, or if your kid has been doing well with naps or nighttime potty training with just an occasional leak.
Think your tot is going through a regression? These training pants will be really nice to have as a backup instead of going back to diapers.
5. Toddler-sized underwear
This is the perfect thing to let your toddler pick out to get her excited for potty training.
Dinosaur underwear? Go for it. Pink unicorns? Be my guest.
I personally liked the mermaids and balloons of this set. Also the elastic stays covered much better with this style (zoom in on the waistband and leg holes) of binding than with the elastic lace trim underpants, so loose ends can’t snap against your poor toddler’s legs. Ouch!
Stock Up for Potty Training
Now that we have the basics covered, let’s check out a few other things you may not have thought you needed for potty training.
6. Waterproof mattress cover
If you don’t have one yet, get two. Nighttime and naptime accidents will happen during potty training. You’ll want one for the bed and one for the wash.
I like this kind that fits like a fitted liner as opposed to one of those incontinence pads because this will actually STAY in place.
7. Elastic waist pants
Can your kid unzip and unbutton their jeans? Can they unsnap their overalls? If they can’t, how will they be able to potty by themselves? Switch to elastic-waist pants until your kids can Houdini themselves out of any pair of pants. Besides, how cute are these ruffle cuff pants?
8. Flushable Wet WIpes
These are for times when a dry wipe just won’t do. We used to use regular baby wipes. Then we discovered our toddler flushing them. OK, OK, I accidentally flushed a few, too…
9. Disinfectant
Accidents will happen. The floor will get gross, and a good disinfectant is a must! This spray was probably intended for pets, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t rock at removing human pee as well. Say goodbye to pee stains.
We also keep a pack of disinfecting wipes in every bathroom.
10. Laundry Sanitizer
All those accidents will need serious cleaning. Toss a capful of this in the wash and rest assured that those soaked clothes will be nice and sanitized.
10 Useful Items for potty training
As you can see, the list of things you need for potty training is pretty short! All your potty trainee needs is somewhere to go potty, something to wear that is NOT a diaper, and something to clean up with.
I hope you enjoyed the list!
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